Surrey Mayor, TransLink CEO praise police following SkyTrain shooting

A day after a Transit Police officer was shot at the Scott Road SkyTrain station in Surrey, the city’s mayor said he has “full confidence” that the person responsible will be caught.

Doug McCallum made the remarks as part of a statement that was released as police continue a massive manhunt for the suspect.

See also

• Photos and video released of suspect in Transit Police officer shooting
• RCMP looking for shooter after transit police officer shot in Surrey
• Hunt for Surrey transit officer shooting suspect intensifies

“I want to commend the work that is being done by the Surrey RCMP, which have put the full weight of its resources in apprehending the suspect,” he said. “Yesterday is a reminder of the very real risks they take while performing their duties to keep our communities safe.”

The investigation began at approximately 4:20 pm, after Surrey RCMP received 911 calls reporting a shooting. At the same time, RCMP were alerted by Metro Vancouver Transit Police that one of their officers had been shot at the Scott Road Skytrain station platform.

Surrey RCMP said the officer was transported to hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries. He has been identified as 27-year-old Const. Josh Harms, who has been with Transit Police for three years and was “working on his regular shift” when he was shot.

On Thursday, police said Harms had been released from hospital late in the evening and “will be meeting with specialists to determine the extent of his injuries and treatment options.”

As for residents who live within the area, police are advising them to stay inside, lock their doors, turn on any exterior lights, and call 911 if they see anything suspicious.

A tip line has also been set up for the public to provide any information which can assist this investigation. That number is 604-502-6284.

Police have also released photos and video of the suspect.

Update: we continue to search for the suspect in yesterday’s shooting of a @TransitPolice officer. Area roads & Scott Rd Skytrain open however there will be increased police presence & vehicle checks. Residents should remain vigilant and call 911 to report suspicious activity. pic.twitter.com/TBqa466ToV

— Surrey RCMP (@SurreyRCMP) January 31, 2019

Please share: video released of the suspect who shot a @TransitPolice officer earlier today. We are actively searching for him. Call 911 if you see him. pic.twitter.com/xZxM7g9zdD

— Surrey RCMP (@SurreyRCMP) January 31, 2019

McCallum’s full statement is below.

I am glad and heartened to hear that Const. Josh Harms has been released from hospital. I wish him a very speedy and full recovery.

It is a testament to the men and women in our police services who put their lives on the line every day, and yesterday is a reminder of the very real risks they take while performing their duties to keep our communities safe.

I want to commend the work that is being done by the Surrey RCMP, which have put the full weight of its resources in apprehending the suspect. I have full confidence that it is only a matter of time before the suspect is caught by the officers of the Surrey RCMP.

TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond also released a statement on the incident:

Yesterday afternoon around 4 p.m., one of our Transit Police officers, Cst. Josh Harms, was shot at Scott Road Station while on duty. Fortunately, Cst. Harms’ injuries, while serious, are not life-threatening. Since then, we’ve seen an outpouring of support for Cst. Harms and the rest of the transit community.

Last night’s events are a reminder of the hard and often challenging work our Transit Police do each and every day to keep our customers, our employees and our system safe. While incidents like this are rare, it is imperative our customers feel safe on our system. I would like to acknowledge our staff who leapt to action to keep our customers moving and informed.

On behalf of TransLink, I would like to express my deep appreciation and support to Transit Police, our employees and our customers.